Bottle Neck Internal Embossments for Liquid Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Longneck bottles lack effective features to manage the flow of fluids during dispensing, particularly in beverages like beer, where existing designs do not adequately address the need for controlled flow and aeration.

Innovation Solution

A longneck bottle with at least one internal embossment on the neck, such as spiral, elliptical, or longitudinal ribs, is designed to affect the flow of liquid during dispensing, formed through a method involving a parison or preform process where external ribs are created and pushed inward to form corresponding internal features, influencing the flow dynamics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional smooth bottle neck design is used, then manufacturing is simple, but flow control and aeration of liquid during dispensing are inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidflow control during dispensing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing internal embossments (spiral ribs, longitudinal ribs, or annular ribs) at specific locations within the bottle neck while keeping the rest of the bottle structure simple. These localized features modify the flow characteristics of the liquid during dispensing, providing turbulence and aeration effects without complicating the overall manufacturing process. The embossments are formed during the standard blow-molding process, maintaining ease of manufacture while improving dispensing performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If internal embossments are added to the bottle neck, then flow control and aeration are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow control during dispensingVSAvoidbottle structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the formation of internal embossments with the existing blow-molding manufacturing process. The external ribs or channels are created on the parison before blowing, and these features are then pushed into the bottle neck during the blowing operation, forming the internal embossments in the same manufacturing cycle. This integration avoids adding separate manufacturing steps or complex tooling, thereby improving flow control without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If multiple types of internal ribs are used, then flow dynamics are better controlled, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow dynamics controlVSAvoidrib formation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by forming the external ribs or channels on the parison before the blowing operation. These external features serve as templates that will be pushed into the bottle neck during blowing, creating the internal embossments. By preparing the features in advance on the parison, the manufacturing process achieves better control over the final internal geometry without requiring extremely high precision during the critical blowing stage, thus improving flow dynamics control while managing manufacturing precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The internal embossments in the bottle neck enhance the flow characteristics by imparting a swirling action, agitating the liquid, and releasing gas, which helps in forming a head in beverages like beer, thereby improving the dispensing experience.

Implementation Method 1

The internal embossments in the bottle neck enhance the flow characteristics by imparting a swirling action

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSwirling action: Vortex Ring

Implementation Method 2

agitating the liquid, and releasing gas, which helps in forming a head in beverages like beer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAgitation: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP2891609B1Bottle neck with internal embossments and method manufacture
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 OWENS BROCKWAY GLASS CONTAINER INC
  • EP2891609B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2891609B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP2891609B1 patent drawingFigure 9~12

AI summary

A longneck glass or metal bottle of one-piece integrally formed construction has a body (22 or 62) with a closed base (24) and a shoulder (26) at an end of the body remote from the base, and a neck (28 or 43 or 48 or 54 or 64) extending from the shoulder along an axis and terminating in a neck finish (32 or 66) for attachment of a closure. The bottle neck includes at least one internal embossment for affecting flow of liquid from the body through the neck. In exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the at least one internal embossment includes at least one internal annular rib (56) or at least one internal rib (50) coplanar with the neck axis or at least one internal spiral rib (40 or 68) or at least one internal elliptical rib (44).